Lord Michael deGrey refuses to do what people expect of him. Of late, he is refusing to follow his elder brother’s directive that he marry and provide an heir to their family’s dukedom. Just because Alastair is done with women and has no intention to marry again after his disloyal first wife’s death is no reason for Michael to leg shackle to an heiress. Michael’s only interests lie in being a doctor, treating the poor, and seducing no strings attached widows.

Being a widow was liberating and fun, until Lady Elizabeth Chudderley ran out of money. Liza retires to her estate in Cornwall to avoid the debt collectors of London. She knows she must find a wealthy man to marry or suffer the consequences. Too bad the man she finds most attractive is nothing more than a country doctor.

Sparks fly from the moment Michael finds Liza passed out in his rose bushes after having too much to drink. She is fiery and passionate, everything he looks for in his lovers, yet he cannot give into his desire if he is to thwart his brother’s attempts to marry him off and make him respectable. In the end, two people that value independence and zest for life make the most interesting of companions.

It is impossible not to be swept away by a story that starts with a lady passed out drunk in a gentleman’s garden. Michael and Liza are lively with witty exchanges that will make you laugh out loud. However, at times they also seem frustratingly selfish as they try to agree on what their relationship will look like. Overall, this a worthwhile read.